Once More I Have A Family
by btamamura
Summary: Wash was abandoned as a child. But, he hasn't always been alone. He has his other 'families'. Songfic. Contains language.


**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Red vs. Blue or the characters. They are the property of Rooster Teeth, etc._

**Notes: **_**This is my first attempt at a songfic. The song used is **__Family__** from **__Madeline: Lost in Paris__**. Strange, I know, but I thought it suited an idea my muses have put into my head. This fic contains mixes of canon and my personal headcanon - both from Project Freelancer and days with the sim troopers. Also, the Blue base mentioned before the mission to retrieve Epsilon was NOT the Valhalla base. It was a base between Avalanche and Valhalla since Wash had pre-warned everyone about the UNSC being around Valhalla. (That way, the Reds reuniting with two certain someones will still happen in the canon way.)**_

_**Warnings - language (of course!), OOC, adjusted lyrics of the song (necessary changes only!).**_

_**Enjoy!**_

He was twelve when he woke up that morning to find his parents were no longer there. Why did they leave him? He had done what he was told all the time, was never a mischief maker in the slightest. He cleaned his room and did whatever chores he had to.

So, why was it that young David found himself searching through the house for his parents, only to find not even a trace of them had been left behind?

He did not allow himself to cry, but he did allow himself to scream his rage out as loud as he could, even breaking a few things.

Once he calmed enough, his stomach let out a growl, and he went to make himself some breakfast. He'd report the situation to the authorities later; for now, he was a hungry boy and needed something in his stomach.

Six years later, he'd joined the military to help fight against the Covenant. His skills and scores were so impressive, he was selected to join the military program Project Freelancer.

He stood in his new armor, his helmet's visor hiding his slightly nervous facial features. There were a few older soldiers there, and not all of them were entirely welcoming of the new recruit.

But, two of the older soldiers approached him. One with bronze armor and one with purple and green-striped armor. "Hey, you must be Agent Washington, correct?" the bronze-armored soldier asked.

"Yes, Sir."

"No need for formalities with us, okay? I'm Agent New York, but call me York. This here's North Dakota."

"Feel free to call me North, Agent Washington," the other soldier added.

He felt a little more at ease as the friendly males greeted him. "In that case, please call me Wash."

"Well then, Wash, welcome to Project Freelancer. We're not all jerks here, some are just a little uneasy about new recruits until they've seen how capable they are," York commented. Behind his visor, he was grinning.

_Maybe things aren't going to be so bad here after all._

**Arms that warm me when I'm cold**

The heating system had shut down that night, and unfortunately, they were in the coldest region of the universe. Everyone was doing whatever they could to keep themselves warm; whether it was wearing every item of clothing they had, or continuously training.

Wash sat in the room he shared with Agent Maine, a blanket wrapped around himself as he shivered violently. He'd been through such a cold spell before since he'd had to live independently, but it was nothing compared to the current temperature.

He was alone in the room; Maine was off engaging in training combat with Agents Wyoming and Florida. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Maybe it will be warmer by morning..."

He was starting to drift off to sleep, but the sound of the door opening woke him. "Hm? Who's there?"

"I had a feeling you'd be in here, Wash," York commented as he entered the room. He was bundled up in his warmest civvies. He approached the bed. "You're not going to go train?"

"No need. I'm fine." His teeth were chattering as he said that. He was a little amazed with himself that he was able to speak without any stuttering.

"Yeah, you _sound_ like you're fine." He sat beside him. "You know, you're not alone anymore. You don't have to keep doing these things by yourself." He wrapped an arm around his shoulder and held him close. "It's easier keeping warm with someone else, you know."

Another sigh. He wasn't one for physical contact, but he found he was getting comfortably warm as York shared body heat with him. "Thanks. That helps."

"Thought it would."

**Lips that smile and never scold**

It had been a failed mission, and Wash felt he was the one responsible for dropping the ball on it. It didn't help that a lot of the Freelancers kept shooting him looks, nor did it help when he overheard Agent South Dakota making a snide comment.

Hey, at least he tried! Right? But, even he found that argument wasn't enough to keep him from falling into low spirits. He was about to dejectedly make his way to a quiet area of Mother of Invention, knowing Maine would be in their room and would also be glaring at him, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw North had removed his helmet. "North?"

He was smiling in a comforting manner; it seemed to be something only he could pull off. "Hey, don't let them get you down. We all make mistakes, but we learn from them."

"This was a pretty huge fucking mistake. I'm not surprised that everyone's pissed with me."

"You know, they have no right to be. We're a team when we're on our missions. So, if one of us messes up, we all do. It's not your fault, Wash."

"You're just saying that. Face it; I'm the worst Freelancer here."

"You're not." He patted his shoulder. "Does it help that I don't blame you even the slightest? I was there too, after all."

He nodded and smiled slightly. "Yeah, guess so. Thanks, North."

"Now then, go rest up. Training is scheduled later today."

"Okay." He headed off to do just that. Maybe after some rest and some more training, he'd feel more prepared for his next mission.

**Ears that listen, hands that hold  
Once more I have a family**

Everyone got over the botched mission pretty quickly, as they had a second chance. They proudly returned to Mother of Invention to inform the director that the mission was accomplished.

Wash, in particular, was feeling proud. Everyone had praised him for his efforts, and thankfully, nobody brought up his previous blunders. He wanted to thank North for the words of encouragement the older soldier gave him a few days ago, but he knew that would have to wait.

A female agent in brown armor approached him and gave him a gentle punch on the bicep. "Hey. Good work."

He turned to her and watched as she removed her helmet. "Thanks, Connie."

Agent Connecticut was smiling. "That training really paid off, huh?"

"Not just that." He thought of the conversation with North. "If I was in the wrong mindset, not even the training would have gone well. It's because North didn't discourage me like most others did." He was thankful the woman he was speaking to was one of the quieter agents in regards to the failed mission. "He reminded me that we're a team, so the mistakes weren't just my own. Yes, I made more. But, everyone else slipped up at times too." He looked out the space port at the stars surrounding them. "I'm thankful he encouraged me like that."

"As he said, we're a team." She lifted her hand to his shoulder and gripped it. "I'll remember that next time too."

The project fell through after A.I. implantations, and Wash was made to join the Recovery Force to retrieve those A.I. from the fallen agents. It wasn't easy when he'd had to deal with the deaths of his friends, or the betrayals he'd faced.

But, that time passed, as did the time he'd had dealing with sim troopers with previous experience with Omega. Soon, he found himself in new armor, and with a completely new team.

**Homemade chocolate crème soufflés  
Picnics on our holidays**

He'd had to put out the fifth fire in the kitchen of the Blue base that day. It had been caused by the youngest of the team. "Caboose, why do you keep insisting on cooking something if you know you'll just cause a fire?"

"I wanted to try to make something yummy for you because you always make something yummy for me," Caboose responded.

"I see. Well, you don't have to use the stovetop or oven to do that. In fact, no fire at all. You have a nasty habit of starting unwanted fires."

"Then, maybe we can have a picnic!"

"...A picnic?"

"Yeah! We can have sandwiches and sit on a blanket and eat together like friends!"

"We can't risk ourselves being seen by the enemy, you know that."

"What if we have it inside?"

"That sounds..."

"Good, right?"

"Um..."

"Oh, suck it up and just do it!" Tucker insisted as he entered the kitchen. "He'll keep harping if you don't!"

"Fine, we'll have an indoor picnic."

"Yay!" Caboose cheered as he ran to his room to find a blanket.

**Summer beaches, winter sleighs  
Once more he has a family**

"Fuck, it's such a hot day..." Tucker groaned as he fanned himself.

"Then, why not get into your armor? It does have internal cooling," Wash suggested.

"Too much effort. I'd pass out just from putting it on!"

"That's...probably true. Where's Caboose?"

"Outside."

"In this heat?"

Caboose came running inside the base; he was soaked from head to toe. "Tucker! Church! Let's go swimming!"

Wash decided not to correct him that time. "I guess it wouldn't hurt. That explains why you're soaked."

"Yep! I fell into the water and got really wet. I almost couldn't swim to the top, but I did."

"I guess we'll also have to engage in some lessons for you."

"I like the idea of getting wet. Bow-chicka-bow-wow! Too bad there aren't any chicks here that can join us," Tucker spoke up as he tiredly rose from his seat. He made his way out of the base.

"Come on, Caboose. I'll teach you how to swim so you don't nearly drown next time," Wash said as he too got to his feet and walked alongside Caboose.

**Family - The ones who help you up each time you fall**

He was lying on his cot, reminiscing about his time in Project Freelancer. He'd been doing that a lot lately. Currently, he was thinking of his first training session with York and North.

_**It had been difficult, as all three of them had to engage in a simulated battle against each other. York and North had more skill than he had at the time, probably because they were a few years older than him. So, he found himself in a bit of trouble when facing them.**_

_**He'd been running away in order to dodge the lockdown paintballs that North was firing in his direction, when he suddenly tripped. **_

_**"Whoa! Time out!" York called when he saw Wash hit the floor.**_

_**"Time out," North agreed as he holstered his pistol and made his way to Wash's side. "You alright?"**_

_**He nodded. "Yeah. Guess I'm not used to the weight of the armor yet. I feel embarrassed though."**_

_**"Don't be. You're not the first to have tripped over in training."**_

_**"Hell, I tripped when out on an actual battlefield," York added as he joined them. He offered out his hand. "Come on, I'll help you up."**_

_**He accepted the assistance. "Thanks." He saw North take his other hand. "North?"**_

_**"Like you said, you're not quite used to the armor. We can't have you falling again due to weight disproportion," North commented.**_

_**Soon, he was back on his feet. "Okay, I'm ready."**_

_**"Time in," the older soldiers declared, and the battle was on again.**_

**Family - The ones who hang your drawings on the wall**

He thought of when he'd first been assigned to his room in the project. How he'd taken out different pictures and posters and put them above his bed.

_**"That should help the homesickness," Maine commented in his rough voice as he watched the new recruit.**_

_**"Nah, don't really have a home to think about." He put up one more poster. "But, I do like having these posters up so I can look at them every night before I sleep."**_

_**"I take it you like cats?"**_

_**"They are my favourite animal. I'm weird, I know."**_

_**"Not weird."**_

_**"Thanks."**_

_**Maine noticed one last picture sitting in the little box. "What's that?"**_

_**"Oh. Must've left it there. I drew it a long time ago." He picked it up and went to throw it in the bin.**_

_**Maine reached out a hand and stopped him. "Let me see." He accepted it. It was a drawing of what else but cats. "Cute. Why are you throwing this away?"**_

_**"It's just some crap."**_

_**"Don't think so." Maine removed a couple of pins from his wall, situated the picture where he wanted it, and stuck the pins in. "I'll have it then."**_

_**"I think you're the first to say you like my shitty drawings."**_

**Family - The ones who truly love you most of all  
Once more I have a family**

He was even thinking of a particularly lonely day. He'd been sulking around Mother of Invention all day because he was plagued by nothing but unpleasant memories.

_**It had caused concern among his friends, so they tried talking to him about it. "What's up, Wash? You're even sulkier than me during my time of the month," South asked.**_

_**"I don't need to know about that, thanks. It's nothing. I'll get over it."**_

_**"Bullshit. All day you've been a sad sack. What's up your ass?"**_

_**"It's nothing. Like I said."**_

_**"Wash. Tell us," Carolina ordered. She preferred her team in top-condition, even emotionally. **_

_**He sighed. "When I was twelve, my parents left. No warning for it, I just woke up to find they had packed up everything they owned and left me in the house on my own. I tried informing the authorities, and you'd think something would be done, right? Yeah, they contacted social services. But, a lot of good that did. So, I'd had to learn to live on my own until I was old enough to join the military."**_

_**"That explains why you're so damned independent," York commented. "Having to do everything on your own like that."**_

_**"Why are you so mopey about it today?" South asked.**_

_**"Because it's the anniversary of that day," Wash explained.**_

_**"Oh."**_

_**"Well, you shouldn't worry about that anymore. What did I tell you that night the heating was out?" York asked.**_

_**"I'm not alone," he responded.**_

_**"Exactly, and you're not. Not anymore. We're here."**_

_**"If you have a problem you need help with, come to any of us. We'll help you through it," Carolina added.**_

_But, what about now? You're not here anymore, are you?_

"Hey, Wash? There's some chick in armor the same colour as mine demanding to speak with you," Tucker commented from the doorway. He sounded anxious.

"The same colour as yours?" He sat up and hurried outside. He saw her, his former leader. "Carolina...?"

"I thought you were dead!"

"Join the club. After Maine attacked me and stole my A.I.s, I thought for sure I was a goner. Anyway, I'm not here about that. I heard you guys know where Epsilon is."

"He's not here. Currently."

"Where is he, Wash?"

"He's in a capture unit."

"Well then, we'll just have to get him out of there, won't we?"

"I'd really rather not have to face him again."

She nodded. "I know things didn't go so well between you two during the implantation."

"It's not just that. Seeing him triggers all sorts of memories he'd left behind. Some aren't concerning the Alpha."

She stepped forward. "We have to get him back if we want to find the director. But, if you'd prefer, you don't have to keep him in one of your slots. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Well then, show me the capture unit."

"I can't, Boss. The UNSC has it."

"What? Well then, we're going to have to get it. You've got a new team here, right? Assemble them, we have a new mission."

**Words of comfort when I'm scared**

As he walked alongside Carolina as they scoured the perimeter of the UNSC base, he found himself remembering his first mission in Project Freelancer.

_**"You alright, Agent?"**_

_**He turned to the older agent. "A bit nervous. There are a lot of enemies we have to pass."**_

_**"Well, not like you're doing this alone. I'll help you out. That's why I was assigned with you for this mission."**_

_**"Boss?"**_

_**"Yeah?"**_

_**"What are the chances of being shot?"**_

_**"Very little if you follow my orders to the letter. I'll take care of most of them, that's when you'll make your move."**_

_**"Yes, Boss." He was shaking a little.**_

_**"It'll be alright, Wash. I'll back you up every step of the way."**_

_**"Alright, Boss." He inhaled deeply and felt the anxieties fade. Knowing he didn't have to face so many gun-wielding enemies alone helped comfort him a little.**_

"Alright, let's move in!" Carolina ordered. "Remember, we're creating a distraction for the sim troopers to find the capture unit!"

"On it, Boss!"

**Age-old stories to be shared**

"This base sure brings back memories, huh?" Wash commented in a quiet voice.

"Shh, now's not the time to reminisce," Carolina scolded.

"Yes, Boss." He couldn't talk about it, but he could at least remember it.

_**It was rare for any of the Freelancers to fall ill, but it happened. An epidemic on the Mother of Invention had many agents left bedridden. The worst cases were in the infirmary, but anybody else just stayed in their rooms. In hindsight, it might've been better to keep them isolated in order to keep the disease from spreading so quickly.**_

_**Wash was lying in his bed, moaning about pain in his joints and fever. His roommate, who'd given the illness to him, was currently resting in the infirmary.**_

_**The door opened, and in stepped North. "How you doing, Wash?"**_

_**He just waved a hand. He'd lost his voice a couple of days ago and needed to rest his throat if he wanted to be able to use his larynx again in the near future.**_

_**"At least you're not as bad as most of the agents."**_

_**He sat up slowly and wrote something on a notepad. **__What are you doing here, North? Isn't South sick too? Why aren't you with her?_

_**"You still don't know her that well yet. She's even more temperamental when sick, even if it's just a case of the sniffles. She threatened to tear me a new one if I even thought to acknowledge her current state of weakness. Anyway, York's keeping an eye on Carolina, so he can't come here. And with Maine in the infirmary, you must be feeling lonely."**_

_**He nodded.**_

_**"Thought so. I decided to come and keep you company while you're awake. So, what would you like me to do?"**_

_**Wash scribed again.**__ If you could take away any of this pain and discomfort, I'd ask for that in a heartbeat. But, I know that's impossible...so, if you wouldn't mind, could you please tell me a story? It will help me rest easier._

_**"A story? Sure thing. But, I didn't know you liked bedtime stories."**_

_I find them comforting. It's a secret vice of mine that I don't really want to share with just anyone._

_**"Your secret's safe with me. So, what do you want the story to be about?" He saw Wash cast an eye to a poster on the wall and chuckled. "You and your cats. Alright then. Lie down and I'll begin."**_

_**Wash did as instructed.**_

_**North inhaled and began the story. "Once, there were three kittens. One was very brave and always put himself into dangerous situations. One was a bit clumsy and would often find himself face down in his bowl of milk. One was quiet and soft-spoken; she preferred to watch her brothers. **_

_**One day, the brave kitten decided he wanted to try to climb a tree for the first time. So, he dug his claws into the trunk of the tree, and began to clamber up. Soon, he was perched on the highest branch. **__Brother! Sister! Look at me! I'm at the top of the tree!_

_**Needless to say, the kitten's siblings were shocked. The clumsy kitten always looked up to his brave brother, and decided he'd try climbing up the tree as well. He did as his brother did, and soon, he too was sitting on the highest branch. **__Sister! Look at us! We're at the top of the tree!_

_**The quiet kitten was very worried about her brothers. **__Can you come down now? Seeing you up so high scares me so much!__** she cried out to her brothers.**_

_**But, when they did try, they found they couldn't find a way to get down safely. They were stuck at the top of the tree!**_

_**The quiet kitten became even more upset, but she knew it was up to her to get some help. Being a shy kitten, she didn't like going near humans or other animals if her brothers weren't with her. But, it was up to her to save her brothers. She hurried inside to their owner, and surprising even herself, let out the loudest mew she ever had.**_

_**Her owner shot her a surprised, wide-eyed glance and asked **__what's wrong? You're usually so quiet...__**, and she mewed once more. It wasn't as loud as the first one, but still was enough to get him to follow her out to the yard.**_

_**He heard the mews coming from the top of the tree and saw his other kittens had stranded themselves on a branch. He simply took out his ladder and climbed up to save them. For in the end, the tree wasn't really as high as we're led to believe.**_

_**Once the brother kittens were on solid ground, they ran to their sister. **__You saved us! You're the bravest kitten of all!__** They never let her forget it. The end."**_

_**Wash was smiling as he started drifting off to sleep. He clapped softly to express he approved of the story North had told him.**_

_**"Glad you like it. Now, you should have a rest or you'll never get better. The doctors are working on a treatment as we speak, so it shouldn't be much longer before you and almost everyone else recovers."**_

_**He nodded and closed his eyes. His dreams were filled with playful kittens.**_

Carolina looked back at him, a frown on her face. "Wash, you're supposed to focus on the mission. You're the one watching my six this time."

"Sorry, Boss, I won't let it happen again." Recalling the story had caused him to zone out slightly and daydream about felines.

"It better not, because if we get caught, I'm holding you responsible. Now, let's move, we're nearing our target objective."

"Roger."

**Gifts that show me someone cared  
Once more I have a family**

On their travels in order to find more information about the director, Carolina and Wash had led the sim troopers back to Valhalla. Surprisingly, the Reds were reunited with one of their team-mates, originally presumed deceased. Yep. Donut.

Needless to say, Wash was a little relieved, and yet felt pretty awkward around him.

There was also the medic who Wash and Meta had taken hostage, Medical Officer Frank DuFresne, better known as Doc. "Oh hey, long time no see!"

"Uh, yeah. Hey, Doc."

"So, things been great for you since you took Church's armor?"

"Guess you could say that."

"Oh, that's right! I have something for you!"

_Stockholm Syndrome can be such a bitch..._

"Here, I'll just go inside and get it. Be right back!" He hurried inside the little shack he and Donut had shared since he'd kept the lightish red-armored soldier from dying.

Wash waited patiently. Not like he had much to do since Carolina was working with Epsilon to get the information from the crashed ship. He'd tried to help out, but found nothing which only made Carolina all the more furious.

Doc returned and handed him a roughly wrapped package. "It's not much, but consider this gift an Inauguration present."

"Inauguration?"

"Into Blue team. Go on, open it!"

He did so, and found himself holding up an apron with _Kiss the Cook_ inscribed on the front. "Thanks. It's pretty good."

"You do like cooking, right?"

"I'm not too shabby at it." He knew he'd have to make a slight change to it though. He knew Caboose would take it literally. "Hey, since it's now mine, I get to make any changes I want, right?"

"Uh, guess so."

"Good." He pulled out a black marker and scribed something onto it. When he pulled away, the word _don't_ could be seen in large capital lettering and underlined for emphasis. "Thanks for the gift, Doc. Better meet up with Carolina now and find out our new plans."

**Family - The ones who'll wipe your tears when you feel small**

Epsilon had exploded at everyone except Carolina. Even Wash wasn't safe from the brutal words. Because of that, the sim troopers had pretty much decided to say a silent _fuck you!_ and leave him be with the suicide mission.

Well, Caboose didn't think _fuck you!_, but he was still very hurt by what Epsilon had said. He thought he and Church were best friends, and best friends aren't supposed to say words like that.

Wash found Caboose sitting inside the Blue base. "Caboose?"

No response from the Blue currently curled into a ball.

That wasn't good. Wash hadn't seen Caboose so upset, not even during the times he missed his best friend. He approached the sim trooper and knelt beside him. "Hey."

Caboose wasn't wearing his helmet. He looked up at the ex-Freelancer with tears in his blue eyes and running down his cheeks. "Why did Church say that...?"

"He was just feeling angry about everything he'd remembered, and unfortunately took it out on those who'd been there for him."

"He was so big and red...and mean..."

"Yeah, he was." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Caboose, we're all gathering together to decide what to do next."

"I don't want to."

He nodded. "Okay. We can stay here for a little longer then." He sighed as he heard the blond let out some audible sobs. _No time for awkwardness, your team-mate needs you._ He wrapped an arm around Caboose and held him while he cried. He didn't say anything; what could he say to someone who'd been crushed by someone they'd considered one of their most important people?

**Family - The ones who'll always be there when you call**

They were all outside Freelancer HQ, waiting for Carolina and Epsilon to return and inform them the mission was a success. They hoped they would not have to await the worst possible news. He hoped they would succeed. He could still remember Epsilon's persistence when he'd first been implanted.

_**It was no secret how York felt about Carolina, so naturally when Eta and Iota went haywire in her mind, he stayed by her side the whole time she rested.**_

_**He was awake when Wash was coming to after his own problems with his A.I. unit that had been implanted no more than an hour ago. **_

_**Wash opened his eyes, fearing he'd undergo more flashes of a blond woman saying that she had to leave. The name **__Allison__** kept flashing through his mind. Just who was that woman? He shook his head, that was not his concern. What was his concern was that he was actually a bit frightened of what he'd undergone. He heard a noise and jumped slightly. "Is someone there?"**_

_**York sat up and looked over to the other bed, not willing to let go of Carolina's hand. "Wash? It's me, man. You doing alright?"**_

_**"York? Is that really you?"**_

_**"Yeah. Glad you finally came to. When they brought you in here unconscious as well, I didn't know what to think."**_

_**"I wouldn't know either." He sighed. "Remember when I said I was looking forward to getting my own A.I. after you got Delta and North got Theta?"**_

_**"Yeah."**_

_**"I take it all back right now." He put his hand to his head as he felt his A.I. stirring.**_

_You...I need your help...they did things...awful things...I couldn't save her..._

_**"Wash?" York called.**_

_**He squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't want to know about any of that...stop that!"**_

_**York figured Wash was talking to Epsilon. "Wash, you alright?"**_

_**"No...York..please, help me..."**_

_**He let go of Carolina's hand and rose from his seat. He hurried to the other bed to help support his younger friend. "Come on, Wash, stay with me."**_

_Don't stop me...please, you must know what they did...someone has to stop it...we have to stop it..._

_**York backed away slightly as he heard Wash let out a howl. "Medic! Someone, come in here, quick!" He placed a hand on the other man's back. "Wash, can you hear me?"**_

_**He turned to the older agent. "York...please, help me..."**_

_**"I'm here. Come on, don't let your A.I. get the best of you."**_

_**"I can't stop him...he keeps sending me...augh! York! Help me!"**_

_**York continued to try to soothe the distressed agent as he awaited the medical team. **__What the fuck is taking them so long, anyway? You'd think they'd be here by now!_

Wash sighed. York had stayed beside him while he'd cried out for his help. But, when he next woke up, it was North and South beside him telling him his A.I. had been removed.

He kept shooting glances at Donut. Yes, he had offered him assistance when they teamed up against the Tex-bots...but who's to say Donut forgave him yet for almost killing him? As he considered his options (either confront the problem head-on and apologise or keep a safe distance and leave the lightish red-armored sim trooper be), he found himself recalling his old friends again.

He continued thinking of York and North, his older _brothers_ in Project Freelancer. What would they tell him about making peace with Donut?

North would likely say _surely he understands your actions were because of duty, and he can't really hold that against you...right?_ _Still, it's the right thing to do, so go apologise to him_ while York's would be more along the lines of _suck it up and apologise already!_. He couldn't help but smile at that thought. "Donut?"

The sim trooper originally presumed deceased turned to him. "What?"

He didn't fail to notice a bit of bite in the tone. "Can we talk before Carolina and Epsilon return?"

"Sure." He walked a safe distance away from his team-mates, while Wash followed him.

"Hey, um...you probably know who I am now."

"Yeah. You're the asshole who shot me."

"Yeah. Listen...I uh...just wanted to apologise for my past actions. I have to admit when I saw you were still alive, I was relieved. Once I heard the others had forgiven me for past misdemeanors, I found myself feeling a lot of remorse for what I did to you and that robot."

"Lopez."

"Right. Lopez. So, anyway...I'm sorry for almost killing you."

"You should be. Do you know how difficult it was to get the blood out of my armor?"

He blinked in confusion. Normally, people would be upset about the fact they were nearly killed for no good reason.

"Well? It took hours to rinse it out! There's nothing worse than bloodstained clothes!" He crossed his arms. "I am sore about you nearly killing me and almost ruining my armor, but..."

Wash hoped Donut wasn't angry anymore as he heard his voice trail off.

"...you did save my life in there, and the others have forgiven you for everything, whatever it was. I mean, Simmons _watched_ you shoot Lopez and I. Imagine how traumatic that had been for him! And he still forgave you. So...yeah. I guess I can forgive you too."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"I appreciate the fact you apologised. Hardly anybody does that these days, and it's just so rude!"

As Donut said that, Wash found himself thinking of North gently reprimanding someone for forgetting their manners. He chuckled and nodded. "The world's gone to hell and back."

Donut nodded, also chuckling slightly. He turned to the entrance. "Looks like they're coming out now."

He squinted as he focused on the entrance. "Carolina!"

She appeared from the HQ, her helmet had been removed. Her green eyes were a little sad, but she showed no other emotion. She approached Wash. "It's over now."

**Family - The ones who truly love you most of all  
Once more I have a family**

Back at base, and in upgraded uniforms. His was still cobalt with yellow accents so he could keep his disguise and show he was a true Blue.

Sometimes, Caboose and Tucker got on his nerves, and he'd have to tell them to either stop arguing or just get back to work.

Sometimes, the Reds attacking the base got frustrating.

Carolina and Epsilon weren't around to help keep everyone in line.

But, the more he thought about it, the more he decided he couldn't think of his life without the new chaos.

**Family...he has a family  
Family - The ones who truly love you most of all  
(Love you most of all)**_**  
**_  
From a child who'd been abandoned, to a Freelancer whose family fell apart.

To his newfound home with some sim troopers he'd originally considered idiots. Wait, he _still_ considered them idiots. But, they were _his_ idiots, and nobody was going to mess with them.

As he blocked out the bickering coming from Caboose and Tucker about whose pillow was whose, he smiled and thought one thing...

**Once more I have a family**


End file.
